Method and apparatus for selectively using quantized pixel fields of neighboring pixels to process a target pixel

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising accessing a first pixel that is neighboring to a second pixel of an image, the first pixel including a plurality of color fields, each color field of the plurality of color fields associated with a respective color plane, wherein the second pixel is to be processed as a target pixel; quantizing the plurality of color fields to generate a corresponding plurality of quantized color fields, wherein said quantizing the plurality of color fields is based on a contribution of individual color planes of the plurality of color planes towards an intensity of the image; and processing the target pixel based at least in part on the plurality of quantized color fields. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/954,820, filed Jul. 30, 2013, which is acontinuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/155,226, filed Jun. 7, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,509,527, issued Aug.13, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/413,226, filed Nov. 12, 2010, and U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/357,874, filed Jun. 23, 2010, which are incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of pixelquantization, and more particularly, to intensity based pixelquantization.

BACKGROUND

The background description provided herein is for the purpose ofgenerally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of thepresently named inventor, to the extent it is described in thisbackground section, as well as aspects of the description that may nototherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neitherexpressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the presentdisclosure.

In various image processing applications, while processing a pixel in animage, a plurality of neighboring pixels are accessed. For example, forimage enhancement of a pixel, an image processing application requires awindow of neighboring pixels.

Generally, a plurality of lines of pixels is stored as line rasters inan internal memory of an image processing chip (or to any otherappropriate memory), from which various neighboring pixels are accessedwhile processing the pixel. The stored line rasters generally requiresignificant storage area in the internal memory.

SUMMARY

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, thereis provided a method comprising accessing a first pixel that isneighboring to a second pixel of an image, the first pixel including aplurality of color fields, each color field of the plurality of colorfields associated with a respective color plane, wherein the secondpixel is to be processed as a target pixel; quantizing the plurality ofcolor fields to generate a corresponding plurality of quantized colorfields, wherein said quantizing the plurality of color fields is basedon a contribution of individual color planes of the plurality of colorplanes towards an intensity of the image; and processing the targetpixel based at least in part on the plurality of quantized color fields.

In various embodiments, there is also provided a system-on-chip (SOC)comprising a pixel window control module configured to form a pixelwindow around a target pixel of an image, the pixel window comprising aplurality of neighboring pixels including a pixel, the pixel including aplurality of color fields, each color field associated withcorresponding color plane; a quantization module configured to determinethat the plurality of color fields are not quantized, and based ondetermining that the plurality of color fields are not quantized,quantize the plurality of color fields to generate a correspondingplurality of quantized color fields, wherein said quantizing theplurality of color fields is based on a contribution of individual colorplanes of the plurality of color planes towards an intensity of theimage; and a target pixel processing module configured to process thetarget pixel based at least in part on the plurality of quantized colorfields.

In various embodiments, there is also provided a method comprisingforming a pixel window around a pixel of an image, the pixel windowcomprising a plurality of neighboring pixels of the pixel, eachneighboring pixel of the plurality of neighboring pixels comprising aplurality of color fields, each color field associated with acorresponding color plane; for each of one or more neighboring pixels ofthe plurality of neighboring pixels, quantizing the plurality of colorfields to generate a corresponding plurality of quantized color fieldsbased on a contribution of individual color planes of the plurality ofcolor planes towards an intensity of the image; and processing the pixelbased at least in part on the plurality of quantized color fields of theone or more neighboring pixels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be readily understood by thefollowing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numeralsdesignate like structural elements. Embodiments of the disclosure areillustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in thefigures of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an image processing system, in accordance withvarious embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2 a-2 b illustrate an image that is processed by the imageprocessing system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing a method for operating the imageprocessing system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments ofthe present disclosure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe configurations of variouscomponents of a laser printing device architecture and associatedtechniques. In the following detailed description, reference is made tothe accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numeralsdesignate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way ofillustration embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. It isto be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structuralor logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is notto be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments inaccordance with the present disclosure is defined by the appended claimsand their equivalents.

The description incorporates use of the phrases “in an embodiment,” or“in various embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of thesame or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,”“including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodimentsof the present disclosure, are synonymous.

As used herein, the term “module” may refer to, be part of, or includean Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electroniccircuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and/or memory(shared, dedicated, or group) that execute one or more software orfirmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitablecomponents that provide the described functionality.

FIG. 1 illustrates an image processing system 100 (generally referred toherein as system 100), in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The system 100 includes a system-on-chip (SOC) 112and an external memory 124 (e.g., which is external to the SOC 112). Invarious embodiments, the external memory 124 is a double data ratesynchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), although theexternal memory 124 can be any appropriate type of memory.

The SOC 112 comprises an image processing module 116 and an internalmemory 128. The internal memory 128 is, for example, a random accessmemory (RAM), e.g., a static random access memory (SRAM). The imageprocessing module 116 comprises a pixel window control module 130, apixel quantization module 132, and a target pixel processing module 136.

The system 100 (e.g., image processing module 116) is configured toprocess one or more images. For example, the SOC 112 is associated withany appropriate image processing system, e.g., a printing system, adisplay system, an image rendering system, and/or the like. Processingimages, by the SOC 112, involves any appropriate type of imageprocessing, e.g., generating halftone images, removing artifacts fromthe images, enhancing the images, rendering the images for printing ordisplay, etc. In various embodiments, the SOC 112 performs intensitybased image processing (e.g., trapping, sharpening, etc.) of one or moreimages.

As an example, the system 100 is configured to process an image 200illustrated in FIG. 2 a. Referring to FIG. 2 a, the image 200 has aplurality of horizontal pixel lines (generally referred to herein aspixel lines), each pixel line including a plurality of pixels. In FIG. 2a, seven example pixel lines are labeled as pixel lines 200 a, . . . ,200 g. Pixel line 200 a includes a plurality of pixels, e.g., pixels 0a,. . . , 8a, pixel line 200 b includes a plurality of pixels, e.g.,pixels 0b, . . . , 8b, and so on, as illustrated in FIG. 2 a. In variousembodiments and as illustrated in FIG. 2 a, the pixel lines 200 a, . . ., 200 g are consecutive pixel lines of the image 200 (e.g., there are nointervening horizontal pixel lines between the pixel lines 200 a and 200b, between the pixel lines 200 b and 200 c, and so on). Although only afew pixel lines are illustrated in FIG. 2 a, in various otherembodiments, the image 200 can include any other number of pixel lines.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a, the image processing module 116 processesvarious pixels of the image 200 from left to right, and from top tobottom, although such directions of processing of the pixels do not inany way limit the teachings of this disclosure. For example, the imageprocessing module 116 processes pixels of the pixel line 200 a, followedby pixel line 200 b, and so on. Also, while processing a pixel line(e.g., pixel line 200 a), pixels in the pixel lines are processed fromleft to right (e.g., pixels 0a, 1a, . . . , 255a are processed in thatorder).

For the purpose of this disclosure and unless otherwise mentioned,processing, accessing, writing, reading, storing and/or loading a pixelwill imply processing, accessing, writing, reading, storing and/orloading, respectively, pixel information associated with the pixel(e.g., any appropriate information associated with the pixel). Forexample, writing pixel 0a in the internal memory 128 will imply writinginformation associated with the pixel 0a in the internal memory 128.

For the purpose of this disclosure and unless otherwise mentioned, apixel line whose pixels are currently being processed by the imageprocessing module 116 is referred to herein as a target pixel line, anda pixel that is currently being processed by the image processing module116 is referred to herein as a target pixel. For example, in FIG. 2 a,pixel line 200 d is the target pixel line and the pixel 4d (illustratedin gray color) is the target pixel.

For certain types of image processing operations, while processing atarget pixel, a window of pixels neighboring the target pixel is alsoaccessed. For example, while the image processing module 116 processesthe target pixel 4d for an image enhancement operation, a 5 by 5 pixelwindow 204 neighboring the target pixel 4d is also accessed by the imageprocessing module 116. As illustrated, the pixel window 204 includespixels 2b, . . . , 6b, 2c, . . . , 6c, 2d, 3d, 5d, 6d, 2e, . . . , 6e,and 2f, . . . , 6f. For the purpose of this disclosure and unlessotherwise mentioned, pixels which are neighboring a target pixel lineand which are included in a pixel window associated with the targetpixel (e.g., a pixel window centered around the target pixel) arereferred to herein as neighboring pixels of the target pixel. Forexample, pixels 2b, . . . , 6b, 2c, . . . , 6c, 2d, 3d, 5d, 6d, 2e, . .. , 6e, and 2f, . . . , 6f are neighboring pixels of the target pixel4d.

Of the plurality of neighboring pixels of the pixel window 204 a, someof the neighboring pixels (illustrated using vertical lines) havealready been processed as a target pixel in the past and some of theneighboring pixels (illustrated using diagonal lines) are yet to beprocessed as a target pixel. For example, pixels 2b, . . . , 6b, 2c, . .. , 6c, 2d and 3d have already been processed as a target pixel in thepast, and are illustrated using vertical lines in the pixel window 204a. Pixels 5d, 6d, 2e, . . . , 6e, and 2f, . . . , 6f are yet to beprocessed as a target pixel, and are illustrated using diagonal lines inthe pixel window 204 a.

Once processing of the target pixel 4d is complete, another pixel isselected as a target pixel. As the target pixel shifts, so does thepixel window. For example, subsequent to processing the target pixel 4dof FIG. 2 a, the image processing module 116 processes the target pixel5d of the image 200, as illustrated in FIG. 2 b. An associated pixelwindow 204 b is also illustrated in FIG. 2 b.

In various embodiments, each pixel of the image 200 is represented by aplurality of color planes. In an example, a CMYK color model, whichincludes cyan, magenta, yellow and key black color planes, is used forthe image 200, and each pixel of the image 200 is represented by one ormore of these color planes. Each pixel of the image 200 includes aplurality of color fields, each color field corresponding to arespective color plane (e.g., each pixel includes a cyan color fieldassociated with the cyan color plane, a magenta color field associatedwith the magenta color plane, a yellow color field associated with theyellow color plane, and a black color field associated with the blackcolor plane). In various other embodiments, any other appropriate colormodel (e.g., RGB) is used for the image 200.

As an example, various color fields of a pixel 2e is illustrated in FIG.2 a. As illustrated, pixel 2e includes color field 2e_C, color field2e_M, color field 2e_Y, and color field 2e_K, which are associated withthe cyan color plane, magenta color plane, yellow color plane, and blackcolor plane, respectively, of the pixel 2e. In an example, each colorfield of a pixel has 8 bits, and accordingly, each pixel includes atleast 32 bits (although in other embodiments, each color field of apixel has any other appropriate number of bits).

In various embodiments, each color plane associated with a pixelcontributes to an intensity of the pixel. For example, for a givenpixel, the intensity contribution of individual color planes can bedefined by a function that is used to convert the pixel to a grey scaleimage. For example, for a CMY color space, an intensity conversionfunction is given by:I=(0.3*C)+(0.59*M)+(0.11*Y),  Equation (1),where C represents the cyan color plane of a pixel, M represents themagenta color plane of the pixel, Y represents the yellow color plane ofthe pixel, and I represents the intensity of the pixel. Thus, the cyancolor plane contributes about 30% to the intensity of the pixel, magentacolor plane contributes about 59% to the intensity of the pixel, andyellow color plane contributes about 11% to the intensity of the pixel.

As will be discussed in more detail herein later, in variousembodiments, while processing a target pixel, various color fields ofone or more neighboring pixels are quantized based on a contribution ofindividual color planes of the plurality of color planes towards anintensity of the image 200.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing a method 300 for operating the system100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 a and 3, at 304, while processingthe target pixel 4d, the pixel window control module 130 forms the pixelwindow 204 a.

The processing of the target pixel 4d can involve any appropriate typeof image processing operation of the target pixel 4d. In variousembodiments, the processing of the target pixel 4d involves an intensitybased image processing (e.g., trapping, sharpening, etc.) of the targetpixel 4d. During processing of the target pixel 4d, an intensity of thetarget pixel 4d is selectively altered based on, for example,intensities of (i) the target pixel 4d and (ii) various neighboringpixels of the target pixel 4d.

In various embodiments, one or more pixels of one or more pixels linesof the image 200 are stored in the internal memory 128. For example, invarious embodiments, one or more pixels of pixel lines 200 b, . . . ,200 e are stored in the internal memory 128 while processing the targetpixel 4d. The pixel window control module 130 reads the pixels of thesepixel lines from the internal memory 128 while forming the pixel window204 a. The pixel window control module 130 may also read one or morepixels of one or more pixels lines of the image 200 from the externalmemory 124 (or from any other appropriate storage location) whileforming the pixel window 204 a.

As previously discussed, each neighboring pixel in the pixel window 204a includes a plurality of color fields associated with a respectiveplurality of color planes. For example, each of the plurality of colorfields of one or more pixels are 8 bits.

At 308, the pixel quantization module 132 accesses a neighboring pixelfrom the pixel window 204 a. The color fields of the accessedneighboring pixel can be either quantized from a previous operation(e.g., while previously processing another target pixel, the accessedneighboring pixel with the quantized color fields was stored in theinternal memory 128), or not quantized yet.

If various color fields of the accessed neighboring pixel has not beenquantized before, at 312, the pixel quantization module 132 quantizesthe plurality of color fields of the accessed neighboring pixel togenerate a corresponding plurality of quantized color fields, based on acontribution of individual color planes of the plurality of color planestowards the intensity. For example, if the pixel 2e is accessed, colorplanes 2e_C, 2e_M, 2e_Y and 2e_K are quantized.

For example, as discussed with respect to equation 1, the cyan colorplane contributes about 30% to the intensity, magenta color planecontributes about 59% to the intensity of the pixel, and yellow colorplane contributes about 11% to the intensity of the various pixels ofthe image 200. Accordingly, the color fields 2e_C, 2e_M, 2e_Y and 2e_Kof the accessed pixel 2e are quantized such that, for example, thequantization of the magenta color field is relatively more accuratecompared to, for example, the quantization of the yellow color field (asthe magenta color plane contributes relatively more to the intensity ofthe pixels compared to the yellow color plane).

As an example, each color field of each pixel before any quantization(also referred to as a full color field) is 8 bits. The color fields2e_C, 2e_M, 2e_Y and 2e_K of the accessed pixel 2e are quantized suchthat, for example, the quantized color field corresponding to the cyancolor plane is 4 bits, the quantized color field corresponding to themagenta color plane is 4 bits, the quantized color field correspondingto the yellow color plane is 3 bits, and the quantized color fieldcorresponding to the black color plane is 5 bits, which approximatelyreflects contribution of various color planes towards the intensity. Asan example, the cyan color field is quantized by deleting the four leastsignificant bits (LSBs) of the 8 bit cyan color field, such that thequantized cyan color field comprises four most significant bits (MSBs)bits of the 8 bit cyan color field. Before the quantization process thevarious color fields of the pixel 2e comprises 32 bits, while after thequantization process the various quantized color fields of the pixel 2ecomprises 16 bits only.

At 316, a check is performed to determine if all the neighboring pixelsof the pixel window 204 a has been accessed. If not, the operations at308 and 312 are repeated. After all the neighboring pixels have beenaccessed, at 320 the target pixel 4d is processed by the target pixelprocessing module 136 using the quantized color fields of theneighboring pixels.

At 324, the pixel window control module 130 (and/or the pixelquantization module 132) saves, in the internal memory 128, thequantized color fields of those neighboring pixels that (i) have beenpreviously processed as a target pixel, and (ii) are to be used (e.g.,as neighboring pixels) for processing one or more other target pixels ofthe image 200. For example, in the pixel window 204 a of FIG. 2 a, thepixels that have been previously processed as a target pixel is labeledusing vertical lines. Some of these pixels (e.g., pixel 3b) are not beused in future for processing one or more other target pixels of theimage 200, and accordingly, in various embodiments, pixel 3b is notstored in the internal memory 128. In another example, pixel 4c has beenpreviously processed as a target pixel, and is to be used as aneighboring pixel for processing one or more other target pixels of theimage 200 (e.g., to be used as a neighboring pixel in the pixel window204 b of FIG. 2 b). Accordingly, the quantized color fields of the pixel4c are stored in the internal memory 128.

On the other hand, the pixel window control module 130 (and/or the pixelquantization module 132) saves, in the internal memory 128, the fullcolor fields of those neighboring pixels that are yet to be processed astarget pixels. The pixels (e.g., pixel 6d) that are yet to be processedas target pixels are labeled using diagonal lines in FIG. 2 a. As thesepixels are to be processed as target pixels in future, the full colorfields of these pixels can be used while processing these pixels astarget pixels (e.g., to improve an accuracy of processing). Accordingly,in various embodiments, the full color fields of these pixels are savedin the internal memory 128.

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated in FIG. 3, a widevariety of alternate embodiments may also be possible. For example, invarious embodiments and although not illustrated in FIG. 3, in themethod 300, quantized color fields of only those pixels, which have beenpreviously processed as target pixels, may be used for processing thetarget pixel 4d (and full color fields of the pixels, which are yet tobe processed as target pixels, may be used for processing the targetpixel 4d). Various other alternatives may also be possible, as would bereadily understood by those skilled in the art based on the teachings ofthis disclosure. For example, in an embodiment, color fields of all theneighboring pixels of the target pixel 4d is quantized and stored in theinternal memory 128.

The image processing system 100 of FIG. 1, which performs intensitybased quantization of various color fields of one or more pixels, hasseveral advantages over a conventional image processing system. Forexample, as discussed with respect to the method 300, color fields ofvarious neighboring pixels of the target pixel 4d are quantized based ona contribution of individual color planes towards the intensity. Invarious embodiments, such quantization is done while performingintensity based image processing (e.g., trapping, sharpening, etc.) ofthe target pixel 4d. As the quantization of the color fields of theneighboring pixels is based on the contribution of individual colorplanes towards the intensity, relative intensities of the neighboringpixels, with the quantized color fields, do not change significantly (atleast, such a change may not be highly visually noticeable). Due tominimal change in the relative intensities of the neighboring pixels,the intensity based processing of the target pixel is not significantlyaffected. Furthermore, in an example, the quantized color fields of apixel are 16 bits, which is significantly smaller in size than the fullcolor fields of the pixel (which are 32 bits). This results in reductionin a storage space requirement for storing various color fields of thepixels (e.g., results in reduction in storage space requirement of theinternal memory 128), and also results in a decrease in the processingpower and/or associated hardware for processing various neighboringpixels while processing a target pixel.

In accordance with various embodiments, an article of manufacture may beprovided that includes a storage medium having instructions storedthereon that, if executed, result in the operations described hereinwith respect to FIG. 3. In an embodiment, the storage medium comprisessome type of non-transitory memory (not shown). In accordance withvarious embodiments, the article of manufacture may be acomputer-readable medium such as, for example, software or firmware.

Various operations may have been described as multiple discrete actionsor operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understandingthe claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should notbe construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily orderdependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in theorder of presentation. Operations described may be performed in adifferent order than the described embodiment. Various additionaloperations may be performed and/or described operations may be omittedin additional embodiments.

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein,a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments orimplementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may besubstituted for the embodiments illustrated and described withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodimentsdiscussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodimentsin accordance with the present disclosure be limited only by the claimsand the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: accessing (i) a first pixelof an image and (ii) a second pixel of the image, wherein the firstpixel and the second pixel are neighboring to a third pixel of theimage, wherein the first pixel includes a first plurality of colorfields and the second pixel includes a second plurality of color fields,wherein each color field of the first plurality of color fields of thefirst pixel is associated with a respective color plane of a pluralityof color planes, and wherein each color field of the second plurality ofcolor fields of the second pixel is associated with a respective colorplane of the plurality of color planes; modifying the first plurality ofcolor fields of the first pixel to generate a corresponding firstplurality of modified color fields of the first pixel; and using (i) thefirst plurality of modified color fields of the first pixel and (ii) thesecond plurality of color fields of the second pixel to process thethird pixel.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the firstplurality of color fields of the first pixel to generate thecorresponding first plurality of modified color fields of the firstpixel comprises: determining a position of the first pixel relative to aposition of the third pixel in the image; and based on the position ofthe first pixel relative to the position of the third pixel in theimage, modifying the first plurality of color fields of the first pixelto generate the corresponding first plurality of modified color fieldsof the first pixel.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the firstplurality of modified color fields of the first pixel to process thethird pixel comprises: determining a position of the first pixelrelative to a position of the third pixel in the image; and based on theposition of the first pixel relative to the position of the third pixelin the image, using the first plurality of modified color fields of thefirst pixel to process the third pixel.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein using the second plurality of color fields of the second pixelto process the third pixel comprises: determining a position of thesecond pixel relative to the position of the third pixel in the image;and based on the position of the second pixel relative to the positionof the third pixel in the image, using the second plurality of colorfields of the second pixel to process the third pixel.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the second pixel is adjacent to the third pixel in theimage.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pixel is not adjacentto the third pixel in the image.
 7. The method of claim 1, whereinmodifying the first plurality of color fields of the first pixel togenerate the corresponding first plurality of modified color fields ofthe first pixel comprises: determining that the first pixel waspreviously processed as a target pixel; and based on determining thatthe first pixel was previously processed as the target pixel, modifyingthe first plurality of color fields of the first pixel to generate thecorresponding first plurality of modified color fields of the firstpixel.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whetherthe second pixel was previously processed as a target pixel; and inresponse to determining that the second pixel was not previouslyprocessed as the target pixel, refraining from modifying the secondplurality of color fields of the second pixel prior to processing thethird pixel.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein using the secondplurality of color fields of the second pixel to process the third pixelcomprises: determining whether the second pixel was previously processedas a target pixel; and in response to determining that the second pixelwas not previously processed as the target pixel, using the secondplurality of color fields of the second pixel to process the thirdpixel.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first pluralityof color fields of the first pixel to generate the corresponding firstplurality of modified color fields of the first pixel comprises:quantizing the first plurality of color fields of the first pixel togenerate the corresponding first plurality of modified color fields ofthe first pixel.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein: a first color fieldof the first plurality of color fields of the first pixel includes Nbits, where N is an positive integer; and modifying the first pluralityof color fields of the first pixel comprises quantizing the first colorfield of the first plurality of color fields of the first pixel suchthat a corresponding modified first color field of the first pluralityof modified color fields of the first pixel comprises P most significantbits of the N-bit first color field, where P is a positive integer thatis less than N.
 12. A system configured to process an image comprising(i) a first pixel, (ii) a second pixel, and (iii) a third pixel, whereinthe first pixel and the second pixel are neighboring to the third pixelin the image, the system comprising: a pixel window control moduleconfigured to form a pixel window around the third pixel of the image,wherein the first pixel and the second pixel are included in the pixelwindow, wherein the first pixel includes a first plurality of colorfields and the second pixel includes a second plurality of color fields,wherein each color field of the first plurality of color fields of thefirst pixel is associated with a respective color plane of a pluralityof color planes, and wherein each color field of the second plurality ofcolor fields of the second pixel is associated with a respective colorplane of the plurality of color planes; a quantization module configuredto modify the first plurality of color fields of the first pixel togenerate a corresponding first plurality of modified color fields of thefirst pixel; and a target pixel processing module configured to use (i)the first plurality of modified color fields of the first pixel and (ii)the second plurality of color fields of the second pixel to process thethird pixel.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the quantization moduleis configured to modify the first plurality of color fields of the firstpixel to generate the corresponding first plurality of modified colorfields of the first pixel by: determining a position of the first pixelrelative to a position of the third pixel in the image; and based on theposition of the first pixel relative to the position of the third pixelin the image, modifying the first plurality of color fields of the firstpixel to generate the corresponding first plurality of modified colorfields of the first pixel.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein thetarget pixel processing module is configured to use the first pluralityof modified color fields of the first pixel to process the third pixelby: determining a position of the first pixel relative to a position ofthe third pixel in the image; and based on the position of the firstpixel relative to the position of the third pixel in the image, usingthe first plurality of modified color fields of the first pixel toprocess the third pixel.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the targetpixel processing module is configured to use the second plurality ofcolor fields of the second pixel to process the third pixel by:determining a position of the second pixel relative to the position ofthe third pixel in the image; and based on the position of the secondpixel relative to the position of the third pixel in the image, usingthe second plurality of color fields of the second pixel to process thethird pixel.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second pixel isadjacent to the third pixel in the image.
 17. The system of claim 12,wherein the first pixel is not adjacent to the third pixel in the image.18. The system of claim 12, wherein the quantization module isconfigured to modify the first plurality of color fields of the firstpixel to generate the corresponding first plurality of modified colorfields of the first pixel by: determining whether the first pixel waspreviously processed as a target pixel; and based on determining thatthe first pixel was previously processed as the target pixel, modifyingthe first plurality of color fields of the first pixel to generate thecorresponding first plurality of modified color fields of the firstpixel.
 19. The system of claim 12, wherein the quantization module isconfigured to modify the first plurality of color fields of the firstpixel to generate the corresponding first plurality of modified colorfields of the first pixel by: quantizing the first plurality of colorfields of the first pixel to generate the corresponding first pluralityof modified color fields of the first pixel.
 20. The system of claim 12,wherein the target pixel processing module is configured to process thethird pixel to perform an intensity based image processing of the thirdpixel.